The new Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) amendment effective July 2006 required that the input terminal (i.e., the line terminal), the output terminal (i.e., the load terminal), and the user accessible output terminal (i.e., the user accessible load terminals or the outlet plugs) of a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) sold in the U.S. be electrically separated from each other when the GFCI is in the tripped state. The same amendment further required that the GFCI have the capability of alerting the end users if one or more of the key components of the GFCI are not working properly. This is called the “end-of-life-component test.” These, together with the 2003 UL GFCI amendment, which required that any GFCI sold in the United States have reverse wiring protection capability, are the key functions encompassed in the present invention which will be further described below.